Rocka Rolla Turns 40: Judas Priest Reflect On Their Debut Album

40 years ago today, Judas Priestcame shrieking out of turntable speakers for the very first time with their debut disc, Rocka Rolla. Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner discussed the band’s first studio outing recently when they stopped by VH1 headquarters.

The album was met with middling reviews upon release, with some listeners feeling that the sound unsuccessfully straddled early ’70s bluesy hard rock and embryonic metal. It sold only a few thousand copies at the time, but Rocka Rolla served as the first step on a musical journey that would lead them to become one of the foremost metal bands of all time. Hear what the group has to say in the video above.